Beer tap



R. o. KIRCHHAN 2,089,269

BEER TAP Filed May 28, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug' 10, 1937. R. o. KIRCHHAN 2,089,269

BEER TAP Filed May 28, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1m mmf Aug, 10, 1937, R. o. KIRCHHAN BEER TAP 4Filed May 28, 1954 s sheets-sheet s @fsm/Mfg .Fahr/75. EFM/5527 Patented Aug. 10, 1937 Unirse stares PATENT OFFRE BEER TAF Application May 28, 1934, Serial No. 727,844

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in beer taps and has as its primary object to provide a more conveniently applied and better constructed tap.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tap so designed that the means for clamping the sealing gaskets are located a substantial distance from the head of the keg to be readily accessible.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tap wherein right and left handed threads are utilized to afford a rapid clamping action.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as'come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated two complete examples of the physical ernbodiment of my invention constructed according to the best modes I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a View partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation of a beer tap embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a -bottom View of the tap;

Figure 3 is a detail side view of the lower portion of the tap;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure l, but illustrating a slightly modified embodiment of this invention;

Figure 5- is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation illustrating another modification of this invention; and

Figure 6 is a cross section view taken through Figure 5 on the plane of the line 6 8.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts-throughout the several views, the

' numeral designates the head of a conventional keg having a metal bung 6 secured therein. The bung is of conventional construction and is provided with a shouldered flange 'l encircling its bore 8. The tap, which is indicated generally by the numeral 9, is attached to the bung by engaging lugs lll under the shoulders of the flange l. The lugs lil are carried by and project inwardly from the lower end of a sleeve ll, which is internally threaded to receive a clamping nut l2. The clamping nut l2 is loosely journalled on the main body I'3 of the tap and is confined against axial shifting between a shoulder I4 integral with the tap body and a collar I5 threaded on the lower end portion i6 of the body.

The collar l5 is run onto the threaded portion I6 until its upper end abuts a shoulder Il and is held against retrograde movement by two screws I8 threaded in the collar with their inner ends engaging the lower portion I6 of the body and their heads received in elongated slots I9 in the internally threaded sleeve ll.

The sleeve il is thus held against relative rotation with respect to the body of the tap so that upon rotation of the nut l2, the entire body will be drawn downwardly with respect to the sleeve. Hence, if the sleeve is engaged with the bung as shown in Figure 1, the rubber gasket 20 conned between the shouldered head of the bung and the lower face of the collar l5 and the body of the tap, will be tightly clamped to afford a fluid-tight joint as will be readily apparent.

The body of the tap is longitudinally bored to loosely receive a discharge pipe 2l, which as is customary, extends down to the bottom of the keg and affords the means for withdrawing the contents therefrom. To force the contents of the keg out through the discharge pipe, fluid under pressure is injected into the keg through a valved opening 22, which may be of any conventional construction.

The upper end of the body is enlarged to afford a seat 23 for a rubber sealing gasket or washer 2li, which is clamped down onto the seat 23 by a sleeve 25 drawn downwardly by a clamping nut 26.

The clamping nut 26, and the nut l2, have large wings to facilitate the application of turning force thereto, and inasmuch as both nuts are located at a substantial distance above the head of the keg, it is apparent that the application of the tap is materially facilitated.

It is also evident that the tap need not be disassembled to apply the same.

The application of the tap to the bung may be further facilitated and rendered more rapid by the use of right and left threads whose conjoint action is accumulative to increase the rapidity with which the tap may be tightened down onto the bung.

A construction employing such right and left threads is illustrated in Figure 4. The tap shown in this modification in its general aspects is the same as that illustrated in Figure 1, but the arrangement of the clamping means for securing it to the bung is different.

As in the embodiment described, an internally threaded sleeve Il is provided and a collar I 5 is threaded on the lower portion I6 of the tap body, the collar l5' being retained against loos- 5 ening by screws I8 whose heads, like in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, are slidably received in elongated slots I9 in the sleeve I I The clamping nut 21, however, is not merely loosely journalled on the tap, but has a threaded 10 connection 28 therewith. This threaded connection 28, between the clamping nut 21 and the body of the tap, is left handed. The nut 21 also has a right hand threaded connection 29 with the sleeve il.

the sleeve Il' as in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, and simultaneously therewith, the tap body will be drawn downwardly into the nut so that the clamping action necessary to attach the Y tap to the bung is very rapid.

Another modification of this invention is illustrated in' Figures 5 and 6. In this embodiment the general construction is similar to that illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, but the means for securing the sleeve against relative rotation with respect to the body of the tap and the specific construction of the arms on the clamping nut is different.

The collar 30, threaded on the lower end of the 30 tap body, is secured against Vretrograde rotation by a set screw 3l and at diametrically opposite sides, this collar has rectangular lugs 32 projecting radially therefrom forsliding engagement in longitudinal grooves 33 opening to the bore of the 35 sleeve 34. v f

As in the embodiment hereinbefore described, the sleeve 34 is threaded for engagement with the clamping nut 35, and as will be readily apparent, the Sleeve is held against rotation with respect to the body by the engagement Vof the lugs 32 in the grooves 33, so that rotation of the clamping nut draws the body down into the sleeve.

Attention is particularly directed to the specic construction of the arms 36 on the clamping nut. To insure maximum strength, these arms are cast tubular and preferably have a cylindrical cross section. The provision of three arms in the place of two and the upward angular disposition of the arms further facilitates the application of the tap.

In other respects, the embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, is the same as that shown in Figures 1 and 2.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that this invention affords a novel and very practical construction for beer taps and that the heretofore objectionable feature of having one of the clamping nuts located directly adjacent the head of the keg is entirely obviated, thus materially facilitating the application of the tap.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A beer tap for attachment to the bung of a beer container, comprising a tubular body, a sealing gasket adapted to be clamped between the bottom of the tubular body and the bung, an externally threaded hollow screw freely rotatably mounted on the lower end portion of the body,

Consequently, upon right handed rol5 tation of the nut 2l the nut will be drawn into the bore in the hollow screw being large enough to allow its engagement and disengagement over the lower end of the body, a separate collar secured on the lower end of the body beneath the hollow screw with its lower face Yproviding a large surface area engaging the gasket and its upper face providing aA shoulder to limit relative axial motion between the hollow screw and the tap body in one direction, a sleeve internally threaded at its upper end for threaded engagement with the hollow screw, said sleeve being iitted over the lower end of the body and the hollow screw,

means on the sleeve to effect an interlocking connection with the bung, and means carried by the collar and engaging the sleeve to hold the same against relative rotation with respect to the tap body so that rotation of the hollow screw effects relative axial movement between the tap body and the sleeve to clamp the gasketbetween the tap body and the bung'and secure the interlocking connection between the sleeve and the bung.

2. A beer tap for attachment to the bung of a beer container comprising, a tubular body'having a shoulder, a clamping nut loosely journalled on f the body and arranged to abut the shoulder, a

collar threaded on the Vbody to coact with the shoulderand restrict relative axial movement between the clamping nut andthe body, *aA sleeve encircling the body and the collarthereon, saidV sleeve having means to effect an interlocking connection with the bung and havin-g a threaded connection with the clamping nut,'and a screw passed through an' elongated slot in the sleeve and threaded in the collar With its inner end bear.; against the tap body to simultaneously lock the collar on the tap body and secure the sleeve against relative rotation with respect to the tap body while permitting a degree of relative motionbetween the sleeve and the tap body, whereby rotation of the clamping nut draws the tap body into the sleeve against the bun-g when the sleeve is engaged with the bung.

3. A beer tap comprising a body'member having an annular shoulder facing its lower end, a collar detachably secured on the lower end of the body member at a distance from said shoulder and having a transverse surface providing a second shoulder near the lower end of the body member, an internally threaded sleeve encircling the collar and the adjacent lower end portion of the body member, said sleeve having means to connect the same to a bung fitting, means on the collar slidably received in a longitudinal groove opening to the bore of the sleeve to hold the sleeve against relative rotation with respect to the body member, and an externally threaded hollow one-piece clamping screw freely rotatably f mounted on the body member with a portion thereof conned between said two shoulders so as ROBERT O. KIRCI-IHAN. 

